Electric controller.



J. H. HALL.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1911,

1,053,496, Patented Feb. 18, 19 13.

/ LUCK-UUT\ WITNESSES INVENTOR W 5 MW UNITED STATES PATENT onnion.

JAY H. HALL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNO It TO THE ELECTRIC CONTROLLER AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ELECTRIC CONTROLLER.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

Serial No. 623,213.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAr H. HALL, a citi-- v zen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyaho a and State of Ohio, have invented new 2.11% useful Improvements in Electric Qontrollers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric controllers, and particularly that type which is used to control motors with shunt field windings and in which a, field regulator is used in connection with the shunt field to control the speed of the motor. During the starting of such a motor it is desirable that the regulator be cut out of circuit while the motor is being accelerated in order that the field strength will be great enough to prevent arcing at the motor brushes, and to develop sufficient torque to start the load.

I have shown my invention used in connection with magnetically operated switches whose operating windings are energized by current in the motor circuit, and it is desirable upon the closure of the last resistance controlling switch to hold this switch closed by means of a winding connected in shunt across the source of supply in order to prevent the opening of this switch should the motor current become zero orreversed. This often happens with motors driving line .shafts or a load having a fly-wheel efl'ect wherein the fly-wheel will tend to drive the motor upon a sudden reduction of voltage on the line, thereby producing a negative current through the motor, which would cause the resistance controlling switch to drop out if its winding depended upon the motor current to hold it closed.

The objects of my invention are (1) to provide a controller which will insure that the motor will be accelerated under full field excitation; (2) to maintain such excitation during the whole period of acceleration;

and (3) to provide a means for holding the last resistance controlling switch closed irrespective of the amount of current flowing in the armature circuit.

To further describe my invention 1 will refer to the accompanying drawing which shows a wirin diagram of a motor controller embodying my invention.

In this drawing I show a knife switch S for connecting the motor and controller to a source of supply. The armature of the motor is represented by A, the shunt field by f, the starting resist-ance by R, RflR resistance controlling switches S, S S having the windings G, C C, respectively. The shunt field regulator is shown at D,

and a relay is shown at S having a wind-,

ing C which operates to short-circuit the resistance of the regulator whenever its operating winding is energized.

The resistance controlling switches S, S S are of the type described in Canfields applications, Serial Number 583,000, filed September 21, 19-10, and Serial Number 604,331, filed January 23,- 1911, and in Eastwoods Patent, No. 1,040,292, granted vOctober 8, 1912. In these applications and in this patent, particularly in Figure 2, the switches have the peculiar characteristic that they remain in their open position when their operating windings are energized above a predetermined value, and will operate to close their contacts when the energization falls below this value. On the last resistance controlling switch S is a holding winding 7?, the lower end of which is connected directly to the positive side of the switch S through a limitmg resistance r. The upper terminal of the winding 12. is electrically connected to the piece which. bridges the main contacts of the switch S Since one of these contacts isconnected directly with the negative side of the switch. S, the winding k will be energized upon closure of the switch S and willhold the switch closed until deenergized by the o ening of the switch S. Since the switch 3 requires only a small amount of energization to hold it closed, the winding k could be connected permanently across the terminals of the switch S, if so desired. In this event. the winding k could be connected in the circuit of the shunt field f. The objection to this method, however, is a commercial one, since difierent makes of motors of the same size have different amounts of current for exciting the series field, which would necessitate a different design forthe holding windin h for each make and size of motor. I therefore, prefer to connect the winding as shown in the drawing.

The relay'S has its operating winding in the motor circuit during acceleration only. This relay does not have'the'locking-out feature. of the resistance controlling switches,

gizat-ion of its winding when the switch S is closed. I,

The regulator D has a contact at (Z arranged to sweep over a series of contacts connected to the field resistance d, so that any desired. amount of this resistance can be placed in'the shunt field circuit for regulating the speed of the motor.

The operation of the controller is as follows: Upon the closure of the switch S a circuit is established from the positive. line through the armature A, the ,winding C of the relay S, the starting resistance R, R R and the operating winding C of the switch S to the negative. This causes the relay to immediately close its contacts and a circuit is established'from the positive line through the shunt field f, and the contactsv of the relay S" to the negative line. This allows the motor to start under full field excitation. The starting current which is limited by the resistance R, R It, allows sufi'icient current to flow to start the motor, this value of current being such that the switch S will belocked open. As the motor speeds up the armature current gradually diminishes and when it reaches the value at which the switch S is adjusted to operate it will close its contacts, shortcircuit the resistance section R, and cause the winding C of the switch S to become en ergized. The increase of current in the armature circuit caused'by the shortcircuiting of the resistance R will lock open the switch S and as the motor further increases in speed, the current will again diminish until it reaches the value at which the switch S is adjusted to operate, at which time it will close its contacts, short circuit the resistance section R and connect in circuit the winding C of the switch S The armature current again increases and the switch S is locked open. JVhen the current again diminishes to the value at which this switch is adjusted to operate, it will close its contacts, and, in so doing, will energize the winding if, as previously described, which will hold the switch S closed. The closure of this switch short-circuits the starting resistance section R and connects the motor armature directly across the line by a circuit which is-easily traced and which does not include any of the windings C, C C and C The switches S and S immediately drop open, the switch S remaining closed by virtue of its holding win-ding h lhe relay S is now free to drop open, and will do so as soon as the magnetism of the magnetic circuit dies out suficiently to allow it, it being desirable for a short interval of time to elapse after the closure of the switch S before the-relay drops open and inserts the resistance d or that portion of it which will be inserted in the shunt field circuit, depending upon the po- R to diminish before the shunt field is weakened by the introduction of the regulator resistance. After the relay S has opened, the circuit through the shunt field is from the positive line through the field winding f, through the portion of the resistance (Z to the left of the contact on which the arm (Z rests, and through the arm (Z to the negative line. It is thus seen that the motor will always be started under full field excitation. that this condition of the field will continue throughout the acceleration of the motor, and that the regulator will then be'autoniatically connected in, the resultant speed of the motor being that determined by the adjustment of the regulator.

The usual method of starting the motor is to move the field regulator to the full field position before starting, and then bring the motor up to the desired speed by adjusting the regulator. It often occurs that the operator will fail to do this, and my invention insures that the motor will always be started under proper field excitation.

It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the knife switch S can be replaced by any combination of switches forming a main switch, one or more of which can be magnetically operated, or a reverser for the motor can be used'for the purpose. The controller can also be used in connection with a compound-wound motor.

l have shown my invention used in connection with switches operated by the motor current, but it will be also readily understood that it can be used with other 'forms of switch or controller for starting the motor, using shunt-field regulation.

I claim- 1. In an electric motor system, a motor, a

circuit therefor containing a resistance, one or more switches for controlling said resistance, a field regulator for the motor, and a switch for shunting said regulator, and

an operating winding for the last named switch energized by the motor current so long as the said resistance is in circuit. I

2. In an electric motor system, a motor, a resistance, means for starting said motor by first connecting it to a source of supply in series with the resistance and then gradually cutting out said resistance, a field regulater for the motor, a magnetically operated switch for shunting said regulator while the motor is being started, and means for shunting the winding of the said switch whenever all the resistance is out out.

for shunting the energizing winding of said relay.

4. In an electrlc controller, a circuit, a

rheostatic resistance "for said circuit, a second circuit, a regulator therefor, a switch for shuntin gizing winding for the switch connected in the first circuit and energized only when said resistance is in the circuit.

v5. In an electric controller, a circuit, a

rheostat-ic resistance ior the circuit, one or more switches having contacts in the circuit for controlling the resistance, a second circuit, a regulator therefor, a relay for shunting said regulator, an energizing winding for the'relay in the first circuit, and means for shunting the winding of the relay.

.6. In an electric controller, a'circuit, a rheostatic resistance 1n the circuit, a second.

circuit, a controlling device therefor, a

switch for controlling the said device, an

operating winding for the switch energized by current through said resistance, and means for cutting the resistance out of cir- 7. In an electric motor system, a motor, a resistance, a magnetically-operated switch for said resistance having itsoperating winding in the motor circuit, a shunt field regulator for the motor, and a relay .for shunting the regulator havingits winding in the motor circuit, the relay winding being shunted when the switch has closed to cut out the resistance.

8. In an electric motor system, a motor, a shunt field winding therefor, a regulator for the winding, means for starting the motor with the field winding fully excited, and a switch controlled by the current in the motor circuit for causing the regulator to become operative after the motor has reached a certain speed.

9. In an electric motor system, a motor, a 'field winding therefor, a regulator for said winding, means for starting the motor, and a switch controlled by the current in the motor circuit during the acceleration of the motor for causing said regulator to become inoperative.-

10. In an electric motor system, a motor,

a field winding therefor, a regulator for said winding, and means controlled by the current in the motor circuit during the acceleration of the motor for starting the mo said regulator, and an ener-' 11. In an electric controller, a. circuit, a series of resistance sections therein, a series of switches adaptedto close in a predetermined order to control the sections of re sistance, operating windings for the switches connected in the circuit, a shunt winding on the last switch of the series for holding it closed, and means controlled by the last switch for shunting its operating winding.

12. A circuit, a resistance, a pair of contacts for controlling the resistance, an energizing winding in the circuit for closing said contacts, a second circuit, a holding winding for the contacts energized by the second circuit, and means including the contacts for energizing the holding winding when the switch is closed.

13. A circuit, a resistance, apair of con tacts for cont-rolling the resistance, an energizing winding in the circuitfor closing said contacts, a second circuit, a holding winding energized by the second circuit, and means including thecontacts for shunting the operating winding.

14. A circuit, a resistance, a pair of contacts for controlling theresistance, an ener- .tor under. full field excitation and for causing the regulator to become operative.

the holding winding and shunting the operating winding when the switch is closed.

15. A circuit-,a resistance, a pair of stationary contacts for controlling the resistance, a movable member for bridging the contacts, an energizing winding for closing the bridging piece on said contacts, a sec ond circuit, and a windingfor holding the bridging piece on said contacts energized by the second circuit and connected to the bridging piece.

16. In an electric controller, a circuit, a rheostatic resistance therefor, one or more magnetically-operated switches for controlling the resistance, each having an operating winding in the circuit, a second'circuit, a holding winding on at least one of said switches energized by the second circuit, and means controlled by the last-mentioned switch for shunting its operating winding.

17. In an electric motor system, a motor,

a circuit therefor containing a rheostatic resistance, a series of switches for controlling the resistance ad-apted to close in-a predetermined sequence, each having its operating winding in the circuit, a second circuit, a holding winding'on the'last switch of the series energized by the-last circuit, and means for energizing said holding winding when the said last switch closes.

18. In an electric motor system, a motor, a circuit therefor containing a rheostatic resistance, a series of switches for controlling 18 0 theresistance, at least one of the switches having an operating winding energized by close in a predetermined order tocontrol the sections of resistance, operating windings for the switches connected in the circuit, and a shunt winding on the last switch of the series for holding it closed.

20. In an electric controller, a circuit, a series of switch contacts in the circuit, an actuatin winding for eachswitch included in the circuit, by the closure of a switch which precedes 1n operation, a shunt .circuit, a maintaining winding inthe shunt circuit for the last of said switches, and means including the said last switch contacts for s'hort-circuiting the actuating winding of the preceding switch.

21. In an electric controller, a circuit, a series of switch contacts in the circuit, an

actuating winding for each switch included in the circuit by the closure of a switch which precedes in operation, a shunt circuit, a maintaining winding the shunt circuit for the last of said switches, and contacts onthe said last switchfor energizing the said maintaining winding and for shortcircuiting the operating windings of ,all the switches.

22., In an electric controller, a circuit, re sistance sections therefor, a series of switches adapted to close in a predetermined order to control the resistance sections, operating windings for the switches, a second circuit closed on the actuation of the said last switch, and a- Winding on the last switch and in the second circuit to maintain the said last switch, closed, thesaid last switch when closed establishing a short circuit around the said actuating windings.

Signed at Cleveland, Ohio, this 22nd day of April, A. D. 1911. l

' JAY Hf HZHJD.

Witnesses: 1

R. H. BENNEIT, H. M. ,DIEMER. 

